The big name stars of the upcoming

film "Cold Mountain," which arrives in theaters around the country

this week, are Nicole Kidman, Jude Law and Renee Zellweger. But there

is a growing amount of buzz for the Sacred Harp Singers, whose songs are

being deemed highlights of both the film and its soundtrack. Starr's

Mill English teacher Lela Crowder is one of the voices that can be heard

singing in the film and on the soundtrack, and her experience has been

extremely memorable.

Crowder began Sacred Harp singing

four years ago when some friends introduced her to it at a Georgia state

convention. She became hooked and has been singing very often and with

many Sacred Harp groups at events called "All Day Singings"

ever since. "It's like a really big family," said Crowder,

describing the unity of Sacred Harp groups.

Sacred Harp singing is a non-denominational

community musical event emphasizing participation. Singers of different

vocal parts - tenor, alto, bass or treble - sit facing inward,

creating a hollow square. The group sings songs from "The Sacred

Harp," an oblong songbook published in 1844 by B. F. White and E.

J. King. There is no musical accompaniment and the music is printed in

patent notes where the shape of the note indicates the syllables fa, sol,

la and mi. Each individual has an opportunity to stand inside the square,

lead the song and beat the time of the song with their hand.

This style of singing stems

from singing schools in the colonial period. The traditions have been

preserved in the South, and Sacred Harp singing, also called fasola singing

or shape-note singing, is making a major resurgence in cities and campuses

throughout North America.

If "Cold Mountain"

and its soundtrack strike a chord with the public, Sacred Harp singing

could really make a comeback. That is very exciting to Crowder and her

fellow Sacred Harp singers.

Before finding Sacred Harp

singing, Crowder sang with church and school choirs. She attended Jonesboro

High School and was named music student of the year during her senior

year. She also sang with the Georgia State University Singers and has

also performed in Spivey Hall and the state capitol.

Last year, she was invited

to sing with some Sacred Harp Singers at Liberty Church in Henagar, Ala.

Tim Ericksen, who acted as a musical consultant for the film and appears

on the soundtrack, got in touch with the singers in Henagar and got them

on the soundtrack, singing the songs "I'm Going Home" and

"Idumea." As if that wasn't enough, the singers were invited

out to Los Angeles for a recent event, "The Words and Music of 'Cold

Mountain,'" which featured readings and performances from the

film. Crowder joined some of her Sacred Harp friends on stage to perform

these songs. They in turn were joined by Law and Kidman during one of

the songs.

"Jude Law shared my songbook,"

said Crowder, who couldn't bring a camera on stage and get pictures

of her close encounter.

She did have many other adventures

during her stint in L.A. She rented a convertible and drove up the Pacific

Coast Highway, visited the Santa Monica piers and several museums, searched

for the Hollywood sign and then had an experience, much like one in many

of the sitcoms that are created out in La-La land, when she and a friend

got stuck in an elevator. The two were only trapped for 15 minutes, but

they were late for their rehearsal. Also at the event, Crowder got to

see performances from Jack White of The White Stripes, Sting and Alison

Kraus, as well as a question and answer period with director Anthony Minghella.

As for the film, she didn't get a free screening of it, but plans

on paying $7 to see it just like everyone else.

Crowder is looking forward

to doing more and more Sacred Harp singing, though she states that singings

tend to taper off during the holidays. She will be singing in a New Year's

Eve singing at Antioch Primitive Baptist Church in Ider, Ala.

For those interested in learning

more about Sacred Harp singing, visit www.fasola.org or www.mcsr.olemiss.edu/-mudws/harp.html.